Al Roker Biography
Al Roker is a well-known American weather presenter, journalist, television personality, and author, most famous for being the longtime weather anchor on the Today show on NBC. Besides sharing daily forecasts, he has also co-hosted the 3rd Hour Today on occasion. He once held the American Meteorological Society Television Seal of Approval (#238), although that has since expired.
Roker kicked off his broadcasting career in the mid-1970s while studying at the State University of New York at Oswego. During that time, he served as a weather anchor at WHEN-TV (now WTVH) in Syracuse, New York, from 1974 to 1976. He also got some on-air experience as a DJ at the campus radio station, WNYO. After earning his degree, he headed to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a weathercaster at WTTG, an independent station that was then owned by Metromedia.
His journey with NBC started in 1978 when he joined WKYC in Cleveland, which is an NBC owned-and-operated station. After five years, he made the leap to WNBC-TV in New York City, the network’s flagship station and his hometown. He returned in late 1983 as a weekend weathercaster and quickly climbed the ranks to become the station’s regular weeknight weather anchor, stepping in for longtime meteorologist Frank Field after a contract dispute.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Roker broadened his reach across NBC programming. He often filled in for Joe Witte on NBC News at Sunrise from 1983 to 1996 and stepped in for notable hosts like Willard Scott, Bryant Gumbel, and later Matt Lauer on Today. In 1995, he even hosted The Al Roker Show, a weekend talk program on CNBC.
Roker gained wider national recognition after his appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, where Letterman invited him to join in a lighthearted on-air elevator race. This exposure helped boost his profile, eventually leading to his role as a forecaster on Weekend Today. He also became a regular substitute on the weekday edition of Today, especially when Willard Scott was unavailable.
Al Roker Age | Birthday
How old is Al? The NBC weather forecaster is 71 years old as of 2026. He was born August 20, 1954 in Queens, New York, United States, celebrating his birthday every 20th of August.
Al Roker Education
He attended the State University of New York at Oswego where he received a B.A. in communications in 1976.
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Al Roker Nationality
Al is an American national and citizen by birth. he was born in Queens, United State of America. he is of mixed ethnicity/heritage/ancestry of Bahamian American, and Jamaican American.
Al Roker Family |Parents
Roker is the son of Jamaican Isabel Roker and a bus driver from the Bahamas, Albert Lincoln Roker Sr. His mother was a devout Catholic, and he was nurtured in that faith. Roker is linked to the late actress Roxie Roker, who was the mother of rock artist Lenny Kravitz and played Helen Willis on The Jeffersons sitcom. Al Roker and Kravitz’s grandmothers were cousins, making them second cousins because they share the same great grandparents.
Al Roker Wife | Married
Al Roker is happily married to Deborah Roberts, a talented broadcast journalist and correspondent for ABC News. They said “I do” back in 1995 and have since become one of the most well-known media power couples in the U.S.
Roker and Roberts have been together for nearly thirty years—a true rarity in the television world. Their relationship is often admired for its durability, humor, and transparency. They love to share snippets of their life together on social media, offering fans a peek into both their professional and personal lives.
Who Is Deborah Roberts?
Deborah Roberts is a highly regarded journalist celebrated for her work on shows like 20/20, Nightline, and Good Morning America. Throughout her impressive career, she has earned a solid reputation for her in-depth reporting, engaging interviews, and captivating storytelling. Her experience spans decades, covering significant national and international events.
Al Roker Ex-Wife
Al Roker has been married a few times:
– First wife: Mary Puglisi (his college sweetheart)
– Second wife: Alice Bell (a WNBC producer) – together, they adopted Courtney
– Current wife: Deborah Roberts, a journalist, whom he married in 1995
Al Roker Children | Daughter
Al Roker is a proud dad of three kids:
– Courtney Roker – adopted with his second wife
– Leila Roker – his daughter with his current wife, Deborah Roberts
– Nicholas Roker – his son
Leila is especially recognized for her academic pursuits and creative projects, while Courtney has made occasional appearances in media stories about the family.
Did Al Roker Pass Away? Did Al Roker Die?
Nope—Al Roker is very much alive!
There are often rumors swirling around about his death online, but they’re completely unfounded. As of 2026, he’s still going strong on the Today show and making public appearances. Recent updates even show him working hard, staying fit, and celebrating milestones on air.
Al Roker’s Health
Al Roker has faced some significant health hurdles, especially in the last few years, but he’s bounced back and is still in the game.
Here are some of the major health challenges he’s dealt with:
– Prostate cancer (2020) – He had surgery and has since gone into remission.
– Blood clots (2022) – He was hospitalized due to clots in his leg and lungs, which led to some complications and more surgeries.
– Other surgeries – He’s had knee replacements and various procedures over the years.
Despite all this, he’s made a strong return to television and stays active. He’s also been open about his health journey, encouraging others to prioritize health awareness and regular check-ups.
Al Roker Weight Loss
Roker underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2002 to lose weight, despite trying to stick to many diets, he said. The New York Daily News said that it has lost 100 pounds (45 kg) since the procedure, down from 320 pounds (150 kg). In 2013, Roker published Never Goin’ Back: Fighting the Weight Loss Fight For Good, a book on his weight loss struggles.
Al Roker Salary
Roker earns an estimated salary of $10 million per year.
Al Roker’s Net Worth
He has an estimated net worth of $70 million, which he has accrued from his career as a meteorologist, journalist, television personality, actor, and author.
Al Roker NBC News | Career
In 1974, Roker started working as a weathercaster for WTVH, a CBS station in Syracuse, New York. Roker began his NBC career in 1978 as a reporter for WKYC in Cleveland. In 1983, he moved to WNBC-TV in New York City, where he became a regular daily weathercaster. He hosted the Al Roker Show, a weekend CNBC conversation show, in 1995. He often filled in for Willard Scott on the Today Show when he was sick or unavailable. He was a regular replacement for Joe Witte on NBC News at Sunrise from 1983 to 1996, and on Weekend Today from 1990 to 1995. He made his Late Night debut in an elevator race with David Letterman, which was taped across the hall from the WNBC news studio.
Roker’s remote prediction studio, interviewing guests outside and giving them some camera time, became a regular. Over time, Roker performed more interviews and segments of the program. In 2005, Roker posted from the inside of Hurricane Wilma. A famous viral video shows him swept off his feet by the vicious wind and clinging to the cameraman. In addition to his position as Today Show Weather Guy and Anchor, Roker co-hosted today’s third hour called Today’s Take, starting on November 12, 2012. Today’s Take was canceled for Megyn Kelly Today in February 2017 and aired its final episode on 22 September 2017. After the cancelation of Megyn Kelly Today in 2018, Roker returned to co-host 3rd Hour Today.
From 10:05 p.m. to 10:05 a.m. in November 2014, Roker hosted “Roker-thon,” a 34-hour NBC weather forecast. Before 8:00 a.m. on November 12, 2014. The date was November 14th, 2014. The world-record-breaking event was a fundraiser for the Crowdrise Movement, which supports the army and the United Service Organizations. During the week of November 6 to November 13, 2015, he was doing a “Roker-thon 2,” this time reporting weather from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. in support of Feeding America. From March 27 to March 31, 2017, he toured campuses as part of “Roker-thon 3,” setting Guinness World Records for both the longest ice conga line and the largest human text.
Since 1995, Roker has anchored NBC coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Roker is a fan of the game show. He played as a celebrity contestant in all the Merv Griffin game shows Jeopardy. The Wheel of Fortune. It also offers predictions for many radio stations. In 2018, Roker will be playing Joe on the Broadway musical Waitress for a six-week run. He’s an enthusiastic barbecue fan and presenter of Tricked-Out Tailgating on the Food Network. He had a weekday morning of one and a half hours on The Weather Channel under the tag Wake Up and Al, which aired from 2009 to 2015.
